Improvement in automatic music-recorders



2 sheets Sheet L J. METZGER.

Automatic Music Recorders. N0.l49,593. Patented April 14, 1874.

' hwxx 2 Sheets--Shet 2.

l. METZGER.

Automatic Music Recorders.

' N0.]49,593 PatentedAprill4,1874.

Wmws WWTQR UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JOSEPH METZGER, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN AUTOMATIC MUSlC-RECORDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 149,593, dated April 14, 1874; application filed January 27, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrn: Mn'rzcun, of Cambridge, in the county of MiddleseX, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Automatic lllusie-ltegistering Mechanism, of which the following is a description suiiieiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is an under view of a musical instrument provided with my improved automatic registering-mechanism. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are sectional views. Fig. 5 is an isometrical perspective view of the registering-1nechanism. Fi (5 and 7 details to be referred to.

My invention relates to that class of musical instruments which are played with keys, and consists of a novel construction and an rangement of devices, as hereinafter more fully set forth, the object being to provide a simple and accurate automatic registeriugmechanism for piano-iortes, and similar musical instruments.

In Fig. 1 the instrument is represented as turned upon its side, A being the case, B the registering-lcvers, O the printing or typewheel, 1) the ink-ribbon, E the paper, F the driving-shaft, G the bar-printer, H the bar printer spring, N H the plates or frame in which the various parts of the registeringmechanism are disposed, and P a spring attached to the plate N for pressing the wheel 0 against the ribbon D. The bar-printer G is tetragonieal in shape, (in cross-section,) and is arranged as shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5, being provided with the actuating lever mounted in springs H, and arranged over the wheel A, Fig. 2. The ordinals, 1 to 13, inclusive, Fig. 1, rcpresentthe white and black keys, or keys for producing the tones and semitones of the music. The wheel 0 is provided with serrated bosses, which act to print a succession of short vertical lines on the paper scroll E, as shown in Fig. 6, thus producing lines corresponding with the staff-lines of ordinary music. These bosses, by being irregularly spaced in relation to each other on the wheel, as shown in Fig. 1, also print the leger-lines of the staff, or a series of lines arranged above or below the real staff. The levers B, Fig. 5, have their center of motion at one end, being hung or pivoted so as to move freely on the stud M projecting from the frame B. These levers also hang suspended to the ends of the flat springs 1 to 13, each lever being provided with a spring, the opposite ends of the springs being attached to the block R attached to case A, and each spring provided with an auxiliary spring, K, (better shown in Fig. 7,) against which the key A acts. The ends of the levers B, opposite the stud M, are provided with hammers or projections Z, working in the guide K, Fig. 3, which, when the keys are pressed down, are brought into contact with the inked ribbon D at a point where it passes over the wheel A, Fig. 2. The levers corresponding with the half-tones or black keys 2 4 7 9 11 are provided with alip or flange, L, Fig. 3, projecting over the adjoining lever in such a manner that when, for instance, the key 1 is pressed down, the key 2 will be carried with it, and thus the faces of two of the hammers Z be brought into contact with the paper, instead of one. In Fig. 2 a vertical section of the printing mechanism is shown, A being the feed-wheel, correspondin g, also, to theplatenofaprinting-press; E,therollofpaper to be printed; and D, a ribbon saturated with ink, and arranged around and outside of the wheel A and paper E. It should be understood that the ribbon D may be of any required length, and supplied with ink in the usual manner of supplying such ribbons in ordinary hand stamping-machines. It should also be understood that the paper E, after passing around the wheel A, may be received in any convenient manner.

From the foregoing description the nature and operation of my invention will be readily understood by all conversant in such matters.

The device described is more especially designed to register and preserve for future reference and use the fantasias or improvised music, and the printing mechanism may be actuated by clock-work, or by a weight or spring attached to the shaft F, in a manner which will readily suggest itself to any mechanic. The wheel A, Fig. 2, being caused to revolve to the left, the paper and ribbon, being arranged relatively, as shown, will be caused to pass between said wheel and the wheel 0, which latter wheel bcin g pressed forcibly against the ribbon by the spring 1?, its serrated bosses will be caused to print staff-lines upon the paper under the rib bon, as shown in Fi 6. The keys 1 to 13 bein g struck as required to produce the desired tones or notes will, through the springs K and C, Fig. 7, cause the hammers Z to come into contact with the ribbon D at a point over the wheel A, thus causing the paper to be printed or marked with a long or short mark or character corresponding with the length of time during which the hammer is kept in contact with the ribbon, and also with a wide mark for sharp or flat notes 0, Fig. 6, or a natural note, 0, as the case may be.

It will, of course, be understood that to print a long or short note the hammer must be kept, by means of the proper key, in contact with the ribbon for the requisite or corresponding length of time. The characters or notes 0 0, taking the place of the ordinary notes in music, are easily learned, and the staiflines, being composed of a series of short vertical or cross-lines, as shown in Fig. 6, admit of havin g the notes 0 0 printed thereon, which could not be accomplished were they the usual c011- tinuous black lines.

The performer having played a bar or measure of music, the bar-printer G is brought into contact with the ribbon D by pressing the knee against the lower end of the lever L, Figs. 1, 2, and 5, sufiiciently long to print the bar-line and divide the statf in a proper manner. Vhen the knee is withdrawn from the lever, the springs H II, Fig. 4, in which it is disposed, raise the printer instantly from the ribbon. \Vhen the wheel A, Fig. 2, is revolved to the left, the notes and bar-lines will be printed in advance of the staff-lines and when revolved to the right, the staff-lines will be printed in advance of the notes and bar-lines. Thenature of the staff and notes is such that it is immaterial in which direction the wheel A is'revolved in that respect, although I prefer that it revolve to the left. It will be seen that when revolved to the right, the paper E must be delivered from the under, instead of the upper, side of the roller G, Fig. 2, and to the under, instead of the upper, side of the roller A.

It will be furthermore understood that the keys 1 to 13, Fig. 1, are constructed and arranged in the usual manner to act upon strings or reeds, as in a piano-forte or organ, in addition to opera-ting the levers B. The letters A 13 (J D E F G A B U D 15 F, Fig. 6, represent lines and spaces of the staif.

I sometimes construct my registering-mechanism without the ribbon, and print the characters representing notes upon the paper by means of points arranged 011 the levers after the manner of forming the letters in a Morse telegraphic instrument, but prefer the use of the inked ribbon, as described. The staff-lines may each consist of several very fine parallel lines arranged longitudinally on the paper without departing from the spirit of my inveir tion in that respect.

I am aware that it is common in certain telegraphic instruments to print characters representing the letters of the alphabet upon paper, in a manner similar in many respects to the method described; but my invention is materially different in its essential features from all such devices; and I therefore do not herein claim any part of such telegraphic instruments, when in and of itself considered; but

\Vhat I claim is 1. The nnisic-registering mechanism described, consisting of the staffprinting wheel C, feeding platen-wheel A, paper E, inked ribbon D, and levers B, in combination with the keyboard of a musical instrument, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the lever L, spring II, and bar-printer G with the roller A, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a music-registering mechanism, the staff-printing wheel (1, having the bosses irregularly arranged, and constructed as described, so as to print not only the regular staff, but the leger-lines thereof, as specified.

I. In a music-registering mechanism, the levers B, provided with the printing-hammers Z and coupling-flanges L, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In combination with the keys of a musical instrument and the levers 1-3, the springs 0, provided with the auxiliary springs K, arranged to operate substantially as shown.

JOSEPH M ETZGE It.

Wi tncsses:

U. A. SHAW, FRANKLIN J. ROLLINS. 

